The ocean contains more than 21,000 fish species and over 1,000 species of corals. Needless to say, it’s quite the task to try and identify everything you see, especially when there are another 80,000 other species in the water – many of which are easily confused with fish or coral when they aren’t. That’s one of the wonders of the ocean; what you see isn’t always what it seems. What looks like a plant may be an animal, what swims like a fish may be a snail and that rock actually may be a fish. So how do you identify all these wonderful organisms?

* Bring a slate with you on all dives so you can take notes or make a quick sketch. That way, once you’ve dried off, you can look things up in a reference book.

* Many PADI Dive Shops or Resorts sell waterproof fish and coral identification charts listing the most commonly sighted local species. Bring these with you on the dive for instant classification.

* Be still and quiet underwater so you can observe normal animal behaviors. These will give you clues to their identities.

* Keep an open mind and be prepared to be surprised. Just because it’s green and stuck to a rock doesn’t mean it’s a plant. Look for small waving tentacles or other purposeful movement to give you a clue that is actually a type of anemone, coral or sea squirt.

* Make an underwater camera part of your scuba gear. That way you can capture images of unidentified aquatic life for identification later.

* Consider getting to know the local aquatic life by taking an AWARE Fish Identification or PADI Underwater Naturalist course.

* Visit the local fish market to see what the catch of the day is called.

* Learn more about coral reef conservation, which may include an introduction to the corals in your area.

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* Relax and breathe normally both on the surface and underwater. On descent, try to exhale all the air from your lungs and any tension from the rest of you. Get underwater quickly, where scuba equipment is more comfortable and easier to manage. Swim slowly and enjoy the scenery to make your air last longer. Scuba diving should not be a speed sport.

* Fine-tune your weight system so that adjusting your buoyancy will be effortless. When weighted properly and holding a normal breath, you should float at eye level. Then when you relax and exhale completely, making sure you’ve emptied all the air out of both your BCD and your lungs, you should sink slowly below the surface.

* When adjusting your buoyancy, go easy on your BCD inflator. Use short bursts of air, taking a few normal breaths between each burst to check your progress before adding more. Proper weighting reduces how much you need to add and release. Constantly adding and dumping air from your BCD because you’re over-weighted will make a big dent in your air supply.

* Practice the fin pivot and other neutral buoyancy techniques from the Peak Performance Buoyancy specialty course. When you can remain neutral with nearly no effort, you’re relaxed and your air will go a lot farther.

* Save energy and decrease drag. Swim with your arms by your side and concentrate on slow smooth kick strokes originating at your hips. This peak performance buoyancy technique will keep you streamlined underwater and let your scuba fins do the work.  This way, you’ll conserve more energy and use less air.

* Breathe Enriched Air Nitrox instead of air. EANx contains less nitrogen and a higher concentration of oxygen. By using special enriched air dive tables or dive computers your scuba dives can last a lot longer, particularly at depths less than 100 feet.

* Limit multitasking. If you’re trying to enjoy a scuba dive, take pictures and make notes to help you identify fish all at the same time, chances are good your air consumption will go up. Pick one activity to enjoy per scuba dive to get the most bottom time.

* Stay shallower when you can. Since we’re under greater pressure the deeper we go, we use more air with each breath from our scuba tanks when we’re deeper. By spending most of your scuba time at shallower depths, you extend your dive because your air supply lasts longer. Even hanging out a few feet above the group on a wall dive, for instance, can help you stay down longer.

* Stay fit. Stop smoking and stay fit with a proper training program that includes cardiovascular and weight training exercise. When your respiratory and cardiovascular systems are in top form, your body works more efficiently and that translates to better air use and more bottom time.

Every scuba dive is more enjoyable when you know where you’re going, where you’ve been and where you are at any given time underwater. The confidence that comes with this knowledge saves time, reduces stress and makes your scuba diving experience more efficient and fun. While many scuba diving sites offer clear water and plenty of visual aids to navigation, scuba divers can learn to use a few tools and techniques to easily find their way even when visibility is poor and the environment is featureless

* Ask for information before you start your scuba dive. On an organized scuba diving trip, it’s likely you’ll get some tips for navigating your way around the site during a formal briefing. Most local scuba divers are happy to share tips and information.

* Once underwater, have a look around your entry point before you head off. Like leaving your car in a parking lot, it helps to notice where you start so you’ll know how to get back. Are there any unique rocks near your entry? Is the bottom sandy or rocky? Is there vegetation or debris nearby you can use as a landmark? Don’t use fish or anything else that might move before you get back! If you’re diving from a boat, note the name of the boat and pay attention to what it looks like from underwater. There’s nothing more embarrassing then ending a successful scuba dive by boarding the wrong dive boat!

* Notice the current before starting the scuba dive. When exploring any dive site, like a coral reef or shipwreck  for example, it’s best to start your scuba dive into the current, so you’ll work against it at the beginning and let it help you return at the end. If you begin with the current, though, you’d have to swim against it coming back and could run out of time or air before you get there.

* During the scuba dive, continually note your surroundings and your instrumentation. Scuba divers who focus only on their destination often find they have no clue how to get back to the shore or boat when the time comes. If the bottom is sandy, notice if there are ridges in it and which way they run; usually ridges run parallel to the shoreline. In low visibility it’s good to know that in some areas water temperature varies with depth, and if disorientation is a factor, remember that the bubbles from your exhalation always go up!

* Learn to use your dive compass for underwater navigation. Even in clear water, you can get turned around and lose track of which way back to the beach or a boat at anchor. A dive compass can make it easy to enjoy your dive and get back where you came from without having to surface for a look. Plus there’s nothing like the feeling you get when you successfully hit your mark!

* If you find you have to come up to figure out where you are and spot where you’re going, it’s much easier to take a compass heading to your target, then drop down underwater for the swim to get there. Swimming on the surface in scuba equipment is slower and more tiring than underwater. Learning underwater navigation skills will be invaluable in such situations.